Let You Down Easy

(75 Or Less; US: 24 Jul 2007; UK: Unavailable)

The Masons: Let You Down Easy

The Masons have a bounce in their rock n’ roll, with the leadoff “Preemptive Denial” coming off like an early cut by The Kinks. From there, the group reels off one precious piece of pop rock after another beginning with the sweet, Sloan-ish “I Am a Raindrop” and melodic “Crazy You”. But perhaps the most Sloan-like tune that even Sloan should consider doing is “Bluefish Frenzy”, a kickass ditty that winds itself around some great guitar work. The Masons are far better at churning out some hi-octane, Replacements-ish rock and roll during the blazing and buzzsaw “Comedown Baby”. Rarely letting up and tossing in a filler track, the album shines at damn near every corner with nuggets like the eco-leaning pop of “In the Water” and the swaggering, strutting “Class Action” that sounds like the Stones returning from their exile on Main Street. And the homestretch is status quo (the quality, not the British band) with the dreamy, rich “Another World in the Afternoon” glides easily over nearly six minutes.

Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.